


Memory of Winter

by Walkinthegarden



Series: Winter [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Arranged Marriage, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, F/M, Gen, House Stark, House Targaryen, House Tyrell, Jon Snow is a Targaryen, Minor Lyanna Stark/Rhaegar Targaryen, Multi, R plus L equals J, Rhaegar wins, Sansa-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-03
Updated: 2014-08-03
Packaged: 2018-02-11 14:59:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2072637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Walkinthegarden/pseuds/Walkinthegarden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sansa Stark does not remember Winterfell. After Robert Baratheon was killed and Rhaegar took his place as King, all the Houses that aided him were punished by being forced to send away their second born child. Sansa was sent away merely a fortnight after her birth, to Highgarden. She has never known snow or cold. She has never known her brothers or sister. All she knows is the rose gardens of Highgarden, horseback riding with Willas, running about the gardens being chased by Garlan, gossiping with Margaery in her bed, and dancing with Loras. She has Winter’s blood but she has been raised to be a Southern Lady, destined to marry one of the Tyrell sons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Memory of Winter

Sansa Stark does not remember Winterfell. After Robert Baratheon was killed and Rhaegar took his place as King, all the Houses that aided him were punished by being forced to send away their second born child. Sansa was sent away merely a fortnight after her birth, to Highgarden. She has never known snow or cold. She has never known her brothers or sister. All she knows is the rose gardens of Highgarden, horseback riding with Willas, running about the gardens being chased by Garlan, gossiping with Margaery in her bed, and dancing with Loras. She has Winter’s blood but she has been raised to be a Southern Lady, destined to marry one of the Tyrell sons.

Willas likes to tease her about a marriage between them. He says she would be his ideal match, a Lady of one of the grandest Houses in Westeros and already beloved by the people of the Reach.

Garlan likes to toss her into the air as if she weighs nothing, claiming that he could happily spend a marriage tossing her about. Sometimes he takes her to the orchards and they run down the aisles, passed pickers and maids, hands clasped together.

Loras likes to steal away with her in the night, to swim in the large fountains or to dance through the trees in the forest with her. They are great friends and despite her knowledge of his bed preferences, she thinks he would make her a fine husband.

She is four and ten when a Lannister bannerman takes shelter at Highgarden for a night. She finds out later he cut her guard’s throat to get to her. She awakens when his hand covers her mouth. Terror fills her quickly when she sees the blade aimed at her stomach. He sneers at her, whispering that she should have never been born, not when her family defied the King the way they did. With a smile of malice he cuts open the front of her night gown and forces himself between her legs. Frozen in terror, she does the only thing she can think of, despite the knife. She screams, a loud, high pitched scream, catching his knife hand in her grasp, hoping to keep him from killing her long enough for help to arrive. She hears the yells and footsteps and she prays to the gods old and new that they will get to her in time.

Her doors fly open and Garlan and Loras are the first to come through, each dressed in only their trousers. Loras had the sense to grab his sword but Garlan is defenceless, still, it does not stop him from leaping across the bed, tackling the bannerman to the ground. Loras makes quick work of the man while Lady Alerie runs to her side and gathers her in her arms as she sobs.

Sansa can hear Margaery screaming for the guards to let her through. The only Tyrell daughter quickly runs into the room and hurries to Sansa’s side, rubbing circles on to her back and whispering that she will come and sleep with Margaery.

Sansa hasn’t been the same since, fearful whenever she takes a step away from a Tyrell Guard member or one of the family.

When she is called to King’s Landing to visit with her Uncle Rhaegar and Aunt Lyanna for the first time, she is scared. They may be her family, but all she’s ever known is Highgarden. She still remembers what the Lannister bannerman said and it frightens her. Unlike Margaery, she never dreamed of traveling to King’s Landing in hopes of a prince falling in love with her. She clings to Willas as Lady Alerie tries to coax her on to a horse. The Heir of Highgarden whispers that she will be alright and that she is being accompanied by Garlan and Loras. Margaery whispers into her ear that she will be alright, and together she and Willas assist Sansa in mounting her mare. She wants to beg Lord Mace to allow Margaery to at least be allowed to come, but she doesn’t because she knows Margaery’s betrothed is coming to see her.

The ride to King’s Landing isn’t a long one, so they are at the gates before they know it. Lady Alerie had dismissed Sansa’s handmaidens in favor of brushing Sansa’s red locks herself. Once they were silky beneath her fingers, the Lady of Highgarden brushes two parts of Sansa’s hair back and ties it together with a ribbon, leaving the rest down to make her appear more Northern. She gifts Sansa a blue/gray gown with white laces, telling her that today she must look like a Stark, but she pins a rose to brooch to her hip, to calm her. She kissed Sansa’s forehead before they took off again.

When they arrive in the Red Keep, Sansa is overwhelmed. The royal family stands to greet them. She immediately recognizes King Rhaegar, with his strong jaw and long silver hair. Beside him is her Aunt Lyanna she thinks, as the woman wears a gown of similar gray. To the side of the King and Queen are Jon Targaryen, the crowned prince of Westeros, and Princess Rhaenys, the only child left to Rhaegar from his first wife.

King Rhaegar steps forward to assist Lady Alerie from her horse and Jon steps forward to do the same with her. His hands are strong when they fasten themselves around her waist and lift her from her horse. Her breath catches in her throat and her eyes dart over to Garlan, who gives her a reassuring smile. When Loras catches her startled eye, he also gives her a reassuring smile before going over to Princess Rhaenys and offering her his arm. The girl looks confused for a moment, as it is customary for the eldest present son to present himself to her, but she takes it anyway. Rhaegar offers Lady Alerie his own arm and before Jon has a chance to offer Sansa his arm, Garlan has already wrapped an arm around her protectively. This startles all in attendance until Lady Alerie leans over and whispers something in the King’s ear. The man nods his acceptance and Jon goes to offer his mother his arm instead.

It isn’t long into dinner that Rhaegar brings up marriage. Sansa freezes mid-bite and looks up to face her Uncle and Aunt. She is seated between Princess Rhaenys and Prince Jon and across from her are her Aunt and Uncle. There is no one within the distance of a quick grab, no ready ally. She feels her throat begin to close and her body begin to shake. Tears well in her eyes and she doesn’t miss the looks of concern.

Garlan and Loras both quickly rise from their seats, running to her aid. They both fall to their knees beside her, Garlan gathering her into his arms. Through her tears she begs Garlan and Loras not to allow them to take her, that she wants to stay in Highgarden and where they are to protect her. She weeps that she wants to be safe in their arms.

Lady Alerie quickly takes over, gathering Sansa into her arms and whispering that she will marry Sansa to one of her sons, that she will never have to leave Highgarden. Garlan takes her from his mother and Sansa hears Lady Alerie suggest her forgotten younger sister Arya as a potential wife instead. She also hears Rhaegar dismiss his two children before demanding to know why Sansa weeps.

Loras, ever hot tempered where his sister or Sansa is concerned, stands in anger and tells the King what happened. Sansa hears him tell her Aunt and Uncle how she was almost raped and that the Lannister bannerman had claimed it was because her family had defied the King. She hears her Aunt Lyanna gasp and her Uncle Rhaegar quickly defend that he would never allow such a thing and that the bannerman was misguided in his belief that he would want Sansa dead.

“Sansa,” a soft voice calls. Sansa opens her Tully eyes to look into the eyes of her Aunt Lyanna, “You may return to Highgarden to marry a Tyrell boy as promised, but I want you to know that I am your family,” Lyanna whispers sweetly, taking Sansa’s hands in her own, “and I will always be your ally. If you ever need anything of me you need only ask it. I promise you by all the gods that I will never direct any harm to you. You are my blood and that is the greatest bond.”

Sansa nods to her aunt before Garan and Loras both escort her to her rooms, where both they and their mother sleep. Lady Alerie sleeps beside her in her bed while Garlan and Loras sleep upon the daybeds.

They ride out the next day. Sansa doesn’t look back save for once. She sees her Aunt Lyanna in the window of the highest tower, looking down on her with a forlorn expression. Sansa feels sad for her, as she knows her Aunt is not happy. She suddenly understands that her Aunt is a winter flower, of the North, wilting in the heat of the South. She had hoped of gaining a family. But Sansa knows she is not what the Queen wanted, she is more rose than wolf.

She is nine and ten when she meets her family for what she considers the first time. She is to be a Tyrell in soon and they have arrived for her wedding. She knows they expect a Stark, but she is no Stark and she never was.

  
When her husband cloaks her in the cloak of a rose, the people whisper that she looks as if she were born to it. She wants to laugh as her husband holds their joint hands high and tell them that she was, for only her blood holds the memory of winter.

**Author's Note:**

> I left it up to you who Sansa married. Anyone have a reason why they think one brother over another?


End file.
